Dharamsala: On 30 August 2017, the Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile Ven. Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok and the members of the standing committee met with Mr. Carl Schlyter, member of Swedish Green Party and also a member of Swedish Tibet Friendship Group of Parliament, Mr. Mattias Björnerstedt, President of the Swedish Tibet Committee and Mrs. Jamyang Choedon, President of Tibetan community of Sweden and the Vice-president of Swedish Tibet committee.
The dignitaries, who visited the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, were warmly received by the Deputy Speaker, who elucidated them on the functions of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, history of Tibet, the present critical situation inside Tibet and on the importance of dialogue with the Chinese government to resolve the issue of Tibet and later took a quick guided tour to the assembly hall of the Tibetan Parliament.
At the dinner gathering, organized by the Parliamentary Secretariat, the members of the standing committee welcomed the Swedish parliamentarian and the dignitaries on their first visit to Dharamsala and expressed their gratitude for all the support rendered by the Swedish Tibet Friendship Group of Parliament and the Swedish people.
Mr. Carl Schlyter stated that though the awareness of Tibet’s struggle by the Swedish people is limited, numerous books of and on His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Swedish language has enabled them to know considerably of His Holiness’s wishes and thoughts. He also said that Middle-way approach is ‘the golden path,’ for which he renders his support to resolve the issue of Tibet. He assured that he would raise awareness on the Tibet’s issue and seek support from the Swedish people for the same when he returns to his country. He further added that this visit to Dharamsala had broadened the horizon of his knowledge on the situations in Tibet and the struggle of Tibet. He expressed his gratitude for the warm reception organized by the Tibetan Parliamentary.
Mr. Mattias Björnerstedt added that the Swedish Tibet Committee is an old Tibet support group, embracing its 50th years since its inauguration. He also stated that the potency of the Tibet support group would be even more rigorous in the coming years, not just in Sweden but also in its neighboring countries.
The Swedish dignitaries later engaged in discussion on Tibet’s issues with the members of the standing committee.
The Deputy Speaker, in the end, thanked the Swedish dignitaries for their visit and support on behalf of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.
